English Wines
In 1152, England acquired Bordeaux through the
marriage of Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitaine. With it began our fascination
with the international
...read more
...wine
industry. However, our interest overseas resulted in a rapid disappearance of
the vineyards that had scattered England since the Middle Ages. England
therefore can justifiably be considered a ‘New World’ producing nation as
modern viticulture began at Hambledon in Hampshire in the 1950’s. Winemaking in
this country is at last being taken seriously; hobby vineyards ran out of money
fast and have been replaced by commercial projects with high levels of
technical knowledge. Global warming is also having its effect and the potential
of the UK as a quality producing nation improves by the year.
Our
sparkling wines get close to emulating Champagne due to a vein of the same
chalk soil which runs under the channel and into Sussex and Kent and an average
annual temperature difference of less than 1°C. In the South West, Germanic
hybrids continue to dominate the still wines and produce delicious aromatic
wines.
